Once trying to get away from the busy part of town, the crowd followed the hype down to the Jam Pantry. Now, it is an institution unto itself since much of the same can be said about its parent cafe - Comfort at My Table. With such an acclaimed place being so close, yet not being gone here yet as residents around the area it was more or less a matter of time before trying out the Jam Pantry. This was not any recent realisation, for a long time with hearing all of the acclaim it was going to be a matter of time before today.
It hasn't been open for too long, however it is definitely no longer the new kid on the block. However, neither the popularity and its role as a dining hot spot have diminished. Let's put it this way: for there to even be a fighting chance of getting a table you need to arrive here before the doors even open. One time (months back) my dining buddy and I tried to get in here, unbeknownst that the group of people out the front were waiting for a table; the wait was going to be a long time. To combat that, some pre-planning had to be done to ensure that we would get a seat.
N.B. I still remember the two of us *just* getting into Comfort at My Table many moons ago; one table was left and it was purely luck. That tactic could not be relied on this time around.
One weekend morning, I had to be woken up early - and I am not a morning person at all. At least early for me, which when I have nowhere to be is anytime before 8-8:30. Big weekend ritual, involving breakfast and grocery shopping it was off to Jam Pantry for a meal first. Much like it was said, even getting there within ten minutes prior to it opening there were already two dozen willing people waiting to come in.
There are two parts to their menu selection, both of them designed for breakfast. At first, there is the regular menu which has the basic staples of breakfast - eggs on toast, bacon and eggs, eggs Benedict etc. Then there is the rotating menu, which has twelve different sections which are all switched over every fortnight. The owner is constantly finding what is in season, local, and available to create a dozen unique dishes - that is dedication on a level of very few professions I have seen. She also makes a lot of her own produce, including the jams, chutney and peanut butter.
Expect there to be a savoury option, a few different kinds of jam for toast, pancakes, cereal, fritters, either a version of waffles or French toast and an omelet as a few examples. This is a great tweak to the usual business, since if you want to be surprised it is highly possible. Going full circle back to the basic menu, one rotating special you could say is the big breakfast option - called "The Whole Pantry". Basically, it is a big mixture of whatever they need to get rid of. It also has a generous drinks menu. Where possible, these are done with fresh produce and include milkshakes, smoothies, teas, coffees and babycinos.
So how does it all add up? Credit will be given where credit is due, though in a few ways it is less than the sum of its parts. This is from the same people behind the brilliant Comfort at My Table in Milton, where there is the same cute tea-party aesthetic albeit a bit dialed down. I appreciate the effort, but it either seems a bit artificial or the volume of noise might clash somewhat with it.
The service has got to be some of the most prompt and hard-working that I have ever seen. Before the doors even opened, I could see that the manager was taking her proteges through the instructions of taking orders and how to get the best results. It does not skip a beat, and it all feels a bit rehearsed in some ways. They chose some gregarious young women to be waitstaff here, and it fits in with the cute decor that they have chosen. Time taken to clear a table has varied a lot from what I have seen, but this may be a first: at the end of the meal, as my dining buddy and I were getting up a waitress was already there collecting the plates to take back to the kitchen. That is a record in my books.
Business was definitely as usual, ordering the coffee first. That business meant that it was a doppio. The beans that they use are from Supreme Roasters. From a fair bit of coffee drinking, though it has not come up as abundantly as other blends it has punched well above its weight. It is one that I always get optimistic when I see its name. Which makes this the most disappointing aspect about the Jam Pantry. In spite of choosing well with a reliable bean, it turned out to be an underwhelming coffee. On a technical front there is nothing that I can fault for how it was made. It had a good crema, and the coffee was extracted in a competent manner. However, where it fell down was in how weak the coffee was - and yes, this was with asking for two shots. It was simply just bland. Making it more of a disappointment was that my dining buddy got a cappuccino, which came with real shaved chocolate on top.
That was a real darn pity, as the food that was available from the menu was on par with excellence. This especially goes for the rotating board, in which every item sounded like it was given its due attention. At no point when describing any of the items do they seem to simply be going through motions with creating each meal, even for something as basic as bacon and eggs.
It is hard to choose between the options, as they all sound so good. Between us two, the savoury and the French were ordered. My dining buddy had pointed out the former option, which was a pan-fried mixture of yams and ginger, with pork belly and a wok-fried egg on top of a pineapple salsa. The latter was a revamped version of French toast, which used a drenched croissant using evaporated milk foam, and had banana, and streaky bacon on top with bits of green mango around the plate. On the side was a thimble of maple syrup to pour over.
Both of these were really good, definitely had fine produce and were filling. They were overall very tasty, and especially going for the savoury option it is like little that I have ever had. If there was one problem with the savoury, it would be that they were skimping on the pork belly. Aside from that, it was one unusual dish; the lack of pork belly made it kind of a mixture of pineapple and yam creating more of a salad. The pineapple was juicy and fresh, plus the yams were really tender and soft. Wok fried egg is always a good twist on the classic egg. So, it passes - just more meat for the man.
I have nothing but good things to say about the French option. Admittedly, you are hearing from a sucker for French toast. What I especially liked was how crispy the bacon was. The bits of green mango placed around the plate were like sweet hits of crystalised sugar. That croissant was chewy and absorbed all the sweetness well. A twist on a treat.
So, maybe the whole is less than the sum of its part. When all things are said and done, definitely go here as it has earned its place as one of Brisbane's most unique and creative eateries, particularly for breakfasts. Effort has been put into the look, but something like this needs to not only have the aesthetic, but to really go for the polish. I know I should be more optimistic and supportive to local business but in honesty I did leave here with a bit of disappointment - maybe if they got a better barista. Then, it would be a true highlight around town.
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